cocky expression leaned against the bar, holding a shot glass in the air. “You coming?”
The girl—Trish, apparently—grinned at Tenley. “I’m being summoned,” she said. With a two-fingered wave, she sauntered off toward the bar, leaving Tenley staring after her.
“Don’t recognize her?” Jessie asked knowingly.
Tenley shook her head. “Is she new?”
“Nope,” Marta piped up. “But I guess her body kind of is.”
Tenley flushed a little, thinking of her own recent enhancements. There were only two people in Echo Bay who knew about that: her mom and Caitlin. As far as Marta and everyone else was concerned, Tenley was fully au naturel. “So who is she?” she persisted.
“That’s Tricia Sutton,” Jessie said. “Remember? Patty?”
Suddenly it hit Tenley. The short blond hair, the clear blue eyes. “Fatty Patty,” she said slowly. As she watched Tricia kiss the boy on his cheek, she had a sudden memory of the chubby music geek who used to drag her cello with her everywhere. Wow. Clearly more had changed in her absence than she’d realized. “Looks like she swapped her Twinkie habit for a boy toy.”
Jessie laughed. “She dated Hunter Bailey for a while, too, after she lost all the weight.”
“Good for her,” Tenley said, plastering on a smile. She didn’t want Marta or Jessie to realize she’d been taken by surprise. So things had changed a little in Echo Bay. She would just have to keep up. She gestured to the bar. “Anyone thirsty?”
“Parched,” Marta replied.
“You have to try some of the spiked lemonade I made….” She trailed off as she noticed a familiar head of golden-blond hair at thefront door. Caitlin. “It’s in the blue pitcher,” she called over her shoulder. She was already charging through the crowd. She couldn’t help it; it was like her body was being magnetically drawn to Cait on its own.
“Cool.” Jessie’s voice sounded distant. “Come find us in a bit, okay?”
Tenley may have called out a response, but she couldn’t be sure. Her eyes were glued to Caitlin. She looked the same, but different, too. She was taller, for one, and the straight hair that used to fall to her shoulders now tumbled halfway down her back. The nerves Tenley had been working so hard to fight gathered in a knot in the pit of her stomach.
It had been a whole year. Of course Caitlin would look a little different. It wasn’t like she wasn’t prepared; she’d seen Caitlin’s photos online. Still, she found herself wondering what else had changed in that time. It made her feel strange—shy almost, like this wasn’t the Caitlin who used to write
T + C = Sisters!
in the sand.
Cait was wearing a short white eyelet dress, cinched with a wide leather belt, and green sandals that laced up past her ankles. Next to her was a super-tall, super-thin girl with shiny black hair and dark, glowing skin. Emerson Cunningham, the daughter of ex-supermodel Grace Cunningham. As much as Tenley hated to admit it, she could see why Emerson had been chosen to model for Neutrogena in New York City last summer—a fact that was advertised all over her Facebook wall.
As Caitlin laughed at something Emerson was saying, Tenley felt the knot in her stomach harden. Emerson had moved to Echo Bay in ninth grade, after Tenley had left. But after years of scrutinizing Caitlin’s Facebook page, Tenley almost felt like she knew her. And—though she would never admit it to Caitlin—she
definitely
felt like she disliked her.
Caitlin looked over, her light green eyes meeting Tenley’s. She broke into a smile and, gesturing to Emerson that she’d be back, headed in Tenley’s direction.
“
Now
the party can start,” Tenley said when she reached her.
Caitlin grabbed Tenley’s hands, squeezing tight. “Perfect Ten,” she said happily.
“Cait the Great,” Tenley shot back automatically. She smiled. So what if Emerson and Caitlin had shared most of high school? They’d shared their whole
lives
.
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley